NYSC Members’ Kidnap: Court Fixes Dec. 16 for Judgment, as Third Defendant Confesses

An Imo State High Court has fixed December 16, 2026, to deliver judgment in the kidnapping case against three men accused of abducting 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Independence Day.

The defendants, Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu and Mohammed Ali, are standing trial on charges of kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms and hostage-taking preferred against them by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Trial judge, Justice Emeka Orafu, fixed the date on Friday after defence lawyers closed their case following the testimony of the third defence witness, Mohammed Ali.

The third defendant, like his co-accused, told the court that the confessional statement he made to the DSS regarding his alleged involvement was correct.

Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu had on Thursday ended their defence.

Justice Orafu gave the defence seven days, with effect from Saturday, November 7, 2026, to file their final written addresses and gave the prosecution five days, with effect from Saturday, November 14, 2026, to file their response.

He adjourned the matter to November 24, 2026, for adoption of written addresses, and fixed December 16, 2026, for judgment.

Under cross-examination by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. Martins Udolwu, Mohammed Ali admitted knowing one Adamu Aliyu as an acquaintance whom he occasionally meets in mosques.

He also admitted that he is a cattle herder who has lived in Aba, Abia State, for about two years.

Also under cross-examination, Ali, like the two other defendants did on Thursday, confessed that the audio-visual recording of him by the DSS, as well as his written statements, were done voluntarily and in the presence of his counsel.

On Thursday, his co-defendants, Usman Aliyu and Babangida Aliyu, admitted before the court that their confessional statements presented by the DSS were made voluntarily, even as they begged for forgiveness.